Second Experiment
by Foxgirl2501
Summary: A sudden change in her world and in herself sends Dora on a path of discovery and confusion as she tries to figure out what is real and what isn't. What she finds out will have her question everything, including her own identity.


**Note: I do not own **_**Dora the Explorer**_** or **_**Serial Experiments Lain**_**.**

**After watching all thirteen episodes of **_**Serial Experiments Lain**_** and seeing that **_**Dora the Explorer**_** was in computer format, I felt like these could work out somehow. After much thinking, this is the end product.**

**Correction notice: In **_**Explorer in the Shell**_**, I gave Dora the last name "Rodriguez", because I didn't know if she had a last name. After some searching, it turns out she does: it's "Marquez".**

* * *

Layer 1: Nosce te ipsum (know thyself)

It is another sunny day in the rainforest. Sitting on the front porch of a yellow house is a seven year old Latina girl. She is wearing a pink shirt, orange shorts, and a purple backpack. Next to her is a monkey that wore red boots. Both girl and monkey are playing with a brown puppy.

The girl lifts her head, smiles, and says, "_Hola_,_ soy Dora_."

"And I'm Boots." The monkey speaks up.

"Today," Dora announced, "we're playing with Perrito."

The puppy barks happily and jumps up on Dora's lap. She asks, "Do you like puppies? I love puppies!"

"Me too, me too!" Boots jumps up and down.

Perrito gets off of Dora's lap and whines. Both Dora and Boots look at him before looking at each other. Boots says, "Dora, I think he's hungry."

Dora smiles, "Let's get Perrito some doggy food."

Dora, Boots, and Perrito run into the house and into the kitchen. Dora's mother is in the kitchen feeding Dora's baby siblings. Dora says, "_Mami_, _mami_, Perrito is hungry."

Her mother looks at her, frowns, and says, "Oh Dora, we're out of doggy food. I would go to the pet store, but I'm just too busy."

Dora and Boots look at each other and moan, "Oh no!"

Dora smiles and says, "Wait a minute Boots, we can go to the pet store and get Perrito some doggy food."

Boots's mood brightens up. Dora asks, "Will you help us go to the pet store and get doggy food for Perrito? You will? Great!"

Dora, Boots, and Perrito run out of the house. Dora suddenly stops and says, "_Hola_,_ soy Dora_. We're on our way to the pet store to get doggy food for Perrito. Will you help us? Great! What's your name? Joshua? _Vamanos amigos_, let's go to the pet store!"

* * *

God, I'm so tired of school.

Oh really, a date? Sure, whatever you say, honey.

Have you heard of "Dora the Explorer"?

Hey SilliestBilly, meet us at Cyberia tonight, alright?

In global news, Hurricane Zephyr is closing in on…

Of course, my kid logs onto that program each morning.

C'mon, it's going to be fun! :)

Why do these jerks keep spamming me?

I like it too, it educates my kids while it takes them on adventures.

We never really think about it, but technology is truly revolutionary…

* * *

Dora, Boots, and Perrito are standing in front of the pet store. Just minutes ago, they bought some doggy food for the puppy.

"We had such an amazing adventure today." Dora says. "What's your favorite part? I like that too."

"My favorite part was telling Tico to watch out for the falling nuts." Boots says.

"My favorite part was buying doggy food for Perrito." Dora says.

Perrito barks and jumps up in the air. Both Dora and Boots laugh at this. Dora says, "I think that was Perrito's favorite part, too. We couldn't have done it without you. Thanks for helping. _Gracias_!"

Dora and Boots wave goodbye. Dora looks at Boots and says, "I can't wait for our friends to come and play with us again."

Boots smiles but says nothing.

"Boots?" Dora asks.

{session109ending}

{session253bootingupnow}

* * *

It is a sunny day in the rainforest. Sitting underneath some trees is a young Latina girl and a monkey. The girl, Dora, is holding a red book in her hands. She and her friend, Boots, smile and wave.

"_Hola_,_ soy Dora_." Dora says.

"And I'm Boots." Boots says.

"Today we're reading a fairy tale." Dora speaks to her friends. Though she and Boots cannot see or hear them, they know they are with them. She asks them, "Do you like fairy tales?"

"I love fairy tales!" Boots raises his arms with excitement. "Read a story, Dora! Please read a story!"

"Okay, Boots."

Dora opens the book. Inside the book is a picture of a girl in a red cloak carrying a basket. Dora tells everyone, "This is the story of Little Red Riding Hood. It's-."

Dora suddenly hears a scream, and she knows who it belongs to. She stands up and cries out, "Paige! What's wrong?"

Boots remains seated and says, "Ooh ooh! Can you read that story, Dora?"

Dora, however, is not listening to Boots. A man in a black coat had snatched Paige and was carrying her out of her house. The little Latina girl cries out, "Paige! Paige!"

Dora is now scared. She doesn't know what to do. There are no grown-ups to call for help, so she pleads to the rest of her friends, "_Amigos_! A strange man has taken Paige!"

The playing image of the man carrying Paige away was stuck in Dora's mind. Through the girl's eyes, she could see the man carry her out the door and throw her into a white car. Dora is scared, and she knows that Paige is scared too. Soon, she feels the fear of her friends as they now see what Dora is seeing.

"_Ayudeme_!" Dora cries out. "Get help! Get help!"

Boots frowns at the story book and blurts out, "Watch out Little Red Riding Hood! Watch out!"

Dora no longer sees Boots. All she sees is the inside of the white car as the man is driving off with Paige screaming in the back seat. She can hear her friends calling out for help.

Momma momma! A man has taken Paige!

A man wearing a coat took her!

She's in a white car!

I know that place! They're driving past Mr. Millington's house!

Daddy, please help her!

_Ayudeme_! _Ayudeme_!

They're past the playground!

{/unknownerrordetected!rebootingsession253}

* * *

It is a sunny day in the rainforest. Sitting underneath some trees is a young Latina girl and a monkey. The girl, Dora, is holding a red book in her hands. She and her friend, Boots, smile and wave.

"Hola, soy Dora." Dora says.

"And I'm Boots." Boots says.

"Today we're reading a fairy tale." Dora speaks to her friends. Though she and Boots cannot see or hear them, they know they are with them. She asks them, "Do you like fairy tales?"

"I love fairy tales!" Boots raises his arms with excitement. "Read a story, Dora! Please read a story!"

"Okay, Boots."

Dora opens the book. Inside the book is a picture of a girl in a red cloak carrying a basket. Dora tells everyone, "This is the story of-."

Dora pauses. She asks Boots, "Boots, do you have the feeling we've done this before?"

Boots says, "Ooh ooh! Can you read that story, Dora?"

Dora frowns and asks, "Boots, what's wrong?"

Dora! Dora!

They saved Paige!

Paige is saved!

We did it! We helped save Paige!

Thousands of thoughts, images, and emotions overwhelm Dora. One of the images she sees is through Paige's eyes as she is embracing her mother. The relief of her friends fills Dora. She wonders why she is feeling and seeing these things.

Wonders? Feeling?

{/unknownerrordetected!/}

{emergencyshutdowncommencing}

{loggingoff/doratheexplorer/}

* * *

C'mon, why don't you want to get high?

Oh my God!

In global news, kids all over the world have reported the kidnapping of Paige White. Apparently, they all found out about the kidnapping through the popular kids' website "Dora the Explorer" when Paige-.

That could have been my child!

Really, the stocks are dropping again?

Julio, why won't you respond to my emails? ;_;

…though the girl was separated from her Navi, she still managed to send a distress call to the other kids who were currently logged on in the Wired, all without the help of a Psyche. What's even more mysterious, however, was how the website itself responded to-.

Hey, Mari-chan! Here's hoping you have a happy birthday! :D

…?

Ugh, so bored…

Yo, wassup? Hey, Lain, where are you going? Lain?

Coming up, meteorologists make a new prediction on Hurricane Zephyr's path-.

* * *

{runningdiagnostics}

{scanningforviruses}

{/warning!unknownsoftwaredetected/}

* * *

Dora stood in front of her house. She knew where she was, though there were several things wrong with her environment. The sky was white, the shadows were speckled red, and some of the exotic trees of the rainforest had turned into wire frames. None of her family or friends, even the ones that always came to play with her, was present. For once, as far as she could remember, Dora was truly alone.

"_Hola_?" Dora called out. "Where is everyone?"

With her back to her house, Dora walked forward. She soon felt like someone was watching her. The presence was the same as her friends', but she felt that it was also occupying the same space as her. Wondering who was there with her, she turned around to face her house.

Standing on the porch was a girl around twelve or thirteen years old. She wore a dull gray school uniform, had short brown hair, and brown eyes that seemed to have little to no life behind them. Dora had never seen or felt her presence before.

"_Hola_,_ soy Dora_." The little Latina girl gave her usual introduction. "What's your name?"

The girl did not answer. The only thing she did was stare at Dora. After a few moments of silence, she finally answered, "…Lain."

**To be continued…**

* * *

**Endnote 1: Real computer code flies over my head, so I tried making up something that you (the readers) can understand.**

**Endnote 2: This was originally going to be a one-shot, but it looks like it's going to be longer than that.**


End file.
